Director of Parent & Family Relations Mindy Weixelman sat down with Assistant VP for Student Life Dr. Stephanie Bannister in 122 Anderson Hall to learn about resources available to K-State students for academic support.

Mindy: Thank you so much for meeting with me today. Parents and families often share with me that academic support is one of their main areas of interest, concern and sometimes even a little anxiety. They want to make sure their student takes advantage of all the resources available. I’ve compiled a list of questions that I think will respond to some of the frequently asked questions. Are you ready?

Stephanie: You bet! Lets dive right in.

Mindy: The term academic support or academic assistance can mean a lot of different things to students and their families.Tell us what academic support means at K-State?

Asst. VP for Student Life Dr. Stephanie Bannister

Stephanie: Accessible, Empowering and Affordable. The Academic Assistance Center located in Holton Hall has a rich tradition of supporting student success at K-State. Any K-State student at any juncture during their time at K-State can take advantage of our programs. Academic coaching is tailored to support the student in identifying growth areas, setting goals, and building a toolkit to help them achieve more. This program along with our Tutoring Services are free to students. At no cost a student can sign up online for small group scheduled or walk-in sessions in a wide range of subjects and at student centered time. For a student who is seeking a more intensive support for a course like Intro to Biology we offer supplemental instruction. SI (supplemental Instruction) can be enrolled in and is a 1 credit course that meets weekly with a peer leader who has excelled in the content area and actually attends the lecture each week and then teaches study techniques and reinforces content. These are just a few of the support options.

Mindy: That’s a helpful definition. Now that we’re all on the same page with what academic assistance means, give us a feel forhow many students the Academic Assistance Center serves throughout a semester?

Stephanie: A semester average for students taking advantage of tutoring is 1,700, academic coaching 450, and supplemental instruction 400. We also offer presentations and workshops to the university community and through 70 outreach sessions a year reach hundreds of students.

Mindy: At this time of the year, many students are looking to secure a part-time job on campus. Are there part-time job opportunities for students within Academic Assistance?

Stephanie: WOW! Yes, the Academic Assistance Center is 1 of the largest on campus employers at K-State. This year more than 100 students are serving as tutors, Supplemental Instruction leaders, and student office assistants!

Mindy: I’m glad I asked! I want to make sure parents know that part-time job opportunities can be found online at the K-State Career Center website.

If your student hasn’t decided where to live next year, now’s the time to consider the options. Current on-campus residents are able to step in and reserve a space before Housing and Dining Services opens the contract to new students. Deadlines are quickly approaching! The application and contract are now available for completion, and the earlier they’re submitted, the better your student’s chances of securing the space they want.

K-State Counseling Services is facilitating a new eating disorder prevention program calledThe Body Project which isbeing offered this Spring to K-State students. The Body Project is a joint collaboration among K-State Wildcat Wellness Coalition group members, co-chaired by Wendy Barnes of Counseling Services and Dianna Schalles. Please take a moment to read the news release that includes program details.

The Body Project: Equipping Students to Resist Unhealthy Appearance Ideals

MANHATTAN – Empowering college students to think healthy and respect body diversity in themselves and others is the ideal when it comes to body image. That concept is the focus of a nationally acclaimed program being implemented at Kansas State University by the Wildcat Wellness Coalition.The peer-led program, through a series of oral, written and behavioral activities, asks participants to challenge the appearance-ideal standards of our culture. The Body Project is proven to reduce eating disorder risk factors in its participants.

“Body dissatisfaction is a risk factor that may trigger the onset of eating disorders in susceptible individuals,” said Dianna Schalles, Coordinator of Nutrition Counseling at Lafene Health Center and Body Project Co-Chair.

The evidence-based program for college-aged females was originally developed by Carolyn Becker, professor of psychology at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas and Dr. Eric Stice, Senior Research Scientist at Oregon Research Institute. To date, the program has been used by more than 100 higher education institutions and delivered to over 200,000 students across North America.

Counseling Services introduces a new Peer Education opportunity for K-State Students

P.A.W.S is a peer education course that prepares students to go out and make timely, informative presentations about various mental wellness topics to their peers across campus. Studies have shown that peers learn best from fellow peers, therefore, Counseling Services sees this group as an integral part of our educational purpose on campus that strives to help students succeed personally, academically and socially.

The course is structured around the Certified Peer Education curriculum developed by the NASPA Bacchus initiative as well as Dr. Fred Newton’s, “Students Helping Students”, text. Over the course of the semester, they will learn about various mental wellness topics: stress management, suicide prevention/intervention, drugs and alcohol, depression and stigma reduction. In addition to mental wellness topics, students will also learn the fundamentals of becoming a peer educator. Skills such as listening, providing feedback, program development, and effective presentation ability will be covered. Upon completion of the course, students who pass the Peer Educator certification exam will be eligible for potential hire by Counseling Services as part of the Peer Educator team. All students who pass the certification exam will also be invited to become active members of the P.A.W.S. student group.

Feel Better Fast

We are proud to offer a life-skills workshop called Feel Better Fast. The Feel Better Fast program is based on principles of mindfulness, emotion regulation, resiliency and distress tolerance, and meditation for relaxation. Through mindfulness, we teach students to focus on the present moment, rather than living in the future (anxiety) or living in the past (depression). This can allow them to focus on what has to be done and how to effectively complete it. With emotion regulation, we focus on developing skills to manage painful emotions when they occur. So often, we try to run from our emotions, rather than listen to them and successful use them to motivate us for positive change. Through resiliency and distress tolerance, we discuss those factors that will most likely increase our chances of surviving a “crisis” whether that crisis is failing an exam or learning one of our loved ones is terminally ill. Finally, in meditation, we cultivate a sense of peace and safety through breathing for relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery.

These presentations are free to all students and they do not have to be clients at Counseling Services. We will be offering 11 weeks of training this semester on the following days, times, and locations: ●Tuesdays, beginning January 31 from 1:00-2:00 pm in Leadership Studies 112 ●Wednesdays, beginning February 1 from 4:00-5:00 pm in Leadership Studies 111 ● Thursdays, beginning February 2 from 11:30-12:30 pm in Leadership Studies 126.

The Academic Coaching program offered under the Division of Student Life, is a free resource made available to any student at any level of any degree. Students will be assigned a professional academic coach, made available to meet one on one without a limit on duration. The notes below are thoughts from the Director of Academic Coaching, Scott Voos.

Magic Answers

One of the most common reasons students seek us out is to talk about poor grades. This is usually phrased in a statement like “I’m not good at math.” There is so much context within that statement and our eyes light up when we hear something along those lines. As an academic coach
we are naturally inquisitive and particularly curious to know more about that negative experience. We are drawn to explore the brick wall a student has run into and that’s where the conversation really begins. Continue reading “Academic Coaching: Magic Answers”→

I recently shared this message with K-State faculty and staff, and thought parents would also appreciate learning more about ways that we support our students.

Dear faculty and staff,
With the recent reorganization in the Division of Student Life, Holton Hall is revitalized with a better, more convenient collaboration of offices that support students.

Over the summer, the Office of Student Life, Non-Traditional and Veteran Student Services, Student Legal Services and Off-Campus Housing moved 201 Holton Hall. These offices join the Student Access Center, the LGBT Resource Center and the CARE office rounding out a true “one stop shop” for student support on the second floor of Holton.
I understand this time can be a stressful and challenging time in the semester for students. Please encourage students to take advantage of the many helpful resources at K-State. Working with the Academic Assistance Center, Office of Student Life staff can discuss academics and help schedule an academic coach. They also can help problem solve and connect students to other resources.

Faculty and staff are the number one referral of students to our office. There are multiple ways to refer a student who may be in need of assistance. You’re welcome to call us at 785-532-6432, stop by our office in 201 Holton, walk a student over to make an appointment, or fill out our Student of Concern Reporting form. We find the most successful referrals happen when the student knows you are referring them and you help them make the connection with our office.

As the semester winds to a close, please keep these free and convenient resources in mind and pass them along to your students. We are a K-State family, and together we can help one another succeed.

With the upcoming change in presidential administrations, there is potential for change that may affect our university community, including undocumented students. While we may be in uncertain times, one thing remains clear — our land-grant mission to the state of Kansas and our country. By staying true to our mission, we can remain on course as the political future unfolds.

There has been much discussion in higher education circles about the status of undocumented students, with or without Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, status. DACA is an immigration policy initiated by the Obama Administration in 2012. Under the policy, certain undocumented immigrants to the United States who entered the country as minors can receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and eligibility for employment.

Recent media reports have made inaccurate claims about how Kansas State University handles reports of sexual violence. The university provides support and assistance services to all reported victims, regardless of where the sexual assault or harassment is reported to have occurred. Blanket statements that K-State does not investigate incidents that happen off campus are simply not true.
“We strongly encourage all persons at the university, including students, to report any incident regardless of where it occurs,” said Richard Myers, university president. “Some of the media claims being made recently are inaccurate, and we want to clear up any misinformation about our policies.”
The university looks into all complaints of sexual violence through its Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Violence, and Stalking (PPM 3010). That policy addresses conduct occurring in the following locations, which is consistent with Title IX requirements: (1) on campus; (2) on and off campus in university-sponsored programs.

In addition to thoroughly reviewing all complaints under PPM 3010, the university has several other policies and processes that apply to reports of sexual violence. K-State assesses the risk to individuals and the university community, regardless of where the conduct reportedly occurred. This happens through policies and processes such as the Threat Management Policy and the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT). Students found in violation of these policies have been removed from campus in the past.
The university also directs students to the numerous resources available. Regardless of the applicability of the policies mentioned, and regardless of the outcome of any investigation, students are offered help with law enforcement, legal, medical and academic concerns. Continue reading “University update regarding sexual violence policies”→

The Academic Coaching program offered under the Division of Student Life, is a free resource made available to any student at any level of any degree. Students will be assigned a professional academic coach, made available to meet one on one without a limit on duration. The notes below are thoughts from the Director of Academic Coaching, Scott Voos.

Failure as Opportunity

Reality can be a slap in the face. It hurts to a point. Is shocking and can be embarrassing. But it’s also a jolt of energy and if even for a split second, forces you to think about your current state of things. If steered properly it can propel you to make impactful change, where tremendous growth and opportunity can be made. For a student, the end of a semester can be that slap in the face. The reality check moment where they are forced to think about what the heck just happened.

Student life hits them hard and runs like a steam engine downhill. Social pressures and the luring temptations of a good time are around every corner. Frequently lost in the shuffle is that one pesky class that’s too early or boring. That reading assignment that they’ll get to tomorrow. Online quizzes are thought to be so easy, they usually don’t even have to prepare for it. The continuous justification of getting to it later, normally culminates with that dreaded F.